As the Maple Leafs swirl toward the bottom of the NHL standings, their fans must finally acknowledge that this team just isn't any good.
The descent of the Toronto Maple Leafs into the NHL’s nether regions is cause for much naval-gazing, gnashing of teeth and finger pointing in the centre of the hockey universe.
Legitimate blame can be laid at the feet of coach Paul Maurice, hapless GM John Ferguson Jr., CEO Richard Peddie and even the Board of Directors. Each is culpable enough to deserve some sort of public humiliation (tarring and feathering, some time in the stocks).
But the real culprits are the fans. Yes, that’s right. The otherwise decent, if misguided, folks who bleed blue and white are the ones most responsible for this fiasco.
It’s their very loyalty that has allowed this team to become so atrocious.
Leafs' Rot Starts at the Top
Starting at the top, the Leafs have the most successful ownership group in the NHL – as long as you don’t count icing a winning team.
They’ve parlayed the Maple Leaf brand into a real estate empire (building arenas and condos) which also collects pro sports franchises (the NBA Raptors and MLS Toronto FC). Hard to believe their core business is really hockey.
Need more proof? Club CEO Richard Peddie is a brilliant packaged foods executive. Brilliant hockey mind, not so much.
Ferguson Was Set Up to Fail
Peddie hired Ferguson as GM. But since then, he and the board have constantly looked over Ferguson’s shoulder, insisting on approval rights for any big decision.
Of course, judging by Ferguson’s decisions, he needs the supervision. A quick look at that roster could cause a person to gouge out their own eyes. After Captain Mats Sundin, perhaps the most talented player to ever wear the Maple Leaf, forward Nik Antropov and defenseman Thomas Kaberle, there’s almost nothing.
Of the guys Ferguson has brought in, Jason Blake, Pavel Kubina, Andrew “the Human Sieve” Raycroft, Hal Gill, Chad Kilger and Mark Bell can, at best, be called duds.
Only goalie Vesa Toskala has come close to panning out, but the cost in top draft picks to acquire him was steep. Worse, it was only necessary because Raycroft, Ferguson’s previous netminding saviour, has proven he can’t save stamps.
No Talent Here, None in the Pipeline
Now, though, it’s clear that Ferguson’s days are numbered. But whoever replaces him will find it difficult to fix things. Other than Sundin, Antropov and Kaberle, there’s no real talent on the big club and nothing on the way from the AHL Marlies.
Trading guys like Blake and Kubina for more than a bag of pucks will be almost impossible. That won’t stop Leaf fans from inundating the call-in shows demanding the Leafs get Sidney Crosby for Blake or Nik Lidstrom for McCabe.
Leaf fans think their men are better than they are simply because they wear the blue and white. Then they wonder how the team can be so awful. Sure, they’ll blame the coach (rightly), the GM (absolutely), the CEO (appropriately) and the Board.
But until the Leaf Nation stands up and demands the best, they’ll continue to get 2nd rate dross because there’s no reason to give them anything better.
Leaf fans should consider this. Sure, the season is swirling down the toilet. But is that really such a bad thing? After all, it’s rare indeed that an item swirling down the toilet is something worth saving.
So, come on Leaf Nation: What have you got to lose? Demand a fresh bowl.
